Vandals destroy pottery set for exhibition

A collection of Central Australian Aboriginal artworks about to be exhibited in Melbourne has been destroyed by vandals.

The ceramic artworks by women from Hermannsburg were smashed to pieces after vandals broke in through the roof of the artwork studio.

John Rigby from the Hermannsburg Aboriginal Potters Association says the artists had been working on the exhibition for nearly nine months.

"Well I think people are a little bit stunned by it because our studio particularly has been in existence for 20 years in Hermannsburg and this has never happened before, this is unprecedented," Mr Rigby said.

"So I think people are quite shocked that someone would break-in and vandalise and steal from the lovely ladies of Hermannsburg Pottery.

"It's unfortunate that we had a consignment of beautiful artwork in the form of ceramics that was going to a gallery in Melbourne this week and that consignment was for an exhibition.

"We have two exhibitions a year. Fairly major works and the consignment has been destroyed. That's a considerable loss to the studio."